‘I Didn't Even Know There Were 2 Forks': Sandburg's Inaugural Youth Manners Camp a Hit

  Aaron Frey
  Friday, July 30, 2021 10:27 AM
  Campus News

Galesburg, IL

It didn’t take long for the participants at Carl Sandburg College's inaugural manners camp to start incorporating what they had learned.

“We just heard from a parent out in the hallway that the mom tried to interrupt the dad and the child said, ‘You're not supposed to interrupt when someone’s talking,’” said Tracy Engstrom, Sandburg’s coordinator of career development. “They're already taking the message home, which is wonderful.”

Don’t Slurp Your Spaghetti: A Modern-Day Manners Camp was a two-day event that took place this week for children ages 7-11 that covered topics such as conducting proper conversations, being a good friend, telephone manners, sportsmanship, writing thank-you notes and table manners. And while there was a focus on politeness, the camp also had an emphasis on having fun. Engstrom, a certified children’s etiquette consultant who led the camp, said having such habits ingrained at an early age pays dividends now and as an adult.

“We just want to always make sure children are able to show those proper manners so that moving forward they're able to display those in school, in public and to their parents,” Engstrom said. “Then when they do get that job when they’re older, they have learned all the skills that they need to be successful.”

After learning about table manners, the camp’s second day featured lunch with spaghetti and meatballs in which participants, dressed in semi-formal attire, were tasked with applying their new skills. For many, it was an eye-opening experience.

“I didn’t even know there were two forks,” said 11-year-old Vann Olcott of Alexis. “I didn’t know there was a dessert spoon.”

Vann was unsure of what to expect when his mother signed him up for a manners camp, but he said he took away plenty of lessons that he can use moving forward. For example, instead of sitting at his computer slouched back with his feet up like he normally would, he now plans to sit straight up with better posture.

“That felt really good because I had never done it before. I definitely know from now on I'm going to sit in my chair correctly because it hurts my back to lay like that,” Vann said. “These are all helpful for life when you're going to a wedding party, a fancy place or any occasion. It just has useful life skills.”

To learn more about other youth camps and programs at Sandburg, visit the Corporate & Leisure webpage on www.sandburg.edu or email community@sandburg.edu.  

A camper cuts his meatball during lunch at Carl Sandburg College’s Don’t Slurp Your Spaghetti: A Modern Day Manners Camp on July 28 in Sandburg’s Student Center. The two-day youth camp covered topics such as conducting proper conversations, being a good friend, telephone manners, sportsmanship, writing thank-you notes and table manners.